Why some of the smartest people can be so very stupid
Struggling to understand is perfectly honourable. Being wilfully stupid is something else and we should strive to fix it
by Sacha Golob
Virtues and vices
What the new science of narcissism says about narcissists
What the new science of narcissism tells us about its nuances, and how to avoid its darts while gaining from its strengths
by W Keith Campbell & Carolyn Crist
When your authenticity is an act, something’s gone wrong
Authenticity has changed from an inward gaze to a social display. Can we reconcile the performance with the real thing?
by Joseph E Davis
The virtue of honesty requires more than just telling the truth
Honesty has fallen out of fashion, yet it is essential to self-improvement. How can we cultivate this neglected virtue?
by Christian B Miller
How to think about pleasure
Weirdly hard to define, much less to feel OK about it, pleasure is a tricky creature. Can philosophy help us lighten up?
by Sam Dresser
How to be excellent
Plato and Aristotle can help you resist conventional worldly success, direct your energy and find your own highest calling
by Benjamin Studebaker
Assertiveness is a virtue that anyone can develop with practice
You can’t stop people making demands on your time and energy, but you can develop assertiveness skills to protect yourself
by Rebecca Roache
Are people with dark personality traits more likely to succeed?
Turn towards the light: contrary to popular belief, nice guys have more success and happiness in the long run
by Craig Neumann & Scott Barry Kaufman
How to save yourself another pointless guilt trip
Just because you feel guilty doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. Relax the rules you live by and set yourself free
by Aziz Gazipura
Selfish, grumpy and unkind? That’s my kind of woman
Misanthropic female novelists and their characters make me hopeful for a future in which we shrug off feminine perfection
by Ellena Savage
How to put your envy to good use
Envious feelings can eat you up, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s how to transform envy into a guide and motivator
by Josh Gressel
How to be a more ethical traveller
You are itching to get out there and want to do it with care. How do you avoid traps like voluntourism and greenwashing?
by Carolin Lusby
Be honest: little white lies are more harmful than you think
Even well-intentioned white lies can foster disconnection and distrust – openness and honesty really are the best policy
by Elena Svetieva & Leanne ten Brinke
Persianate ‘adab’ involves far more than elegant manners
Across 13th- to 19th-century Persianate culture, ‘adab’ meant more than manners – it was proper social and aesthetic form
by Mana Kia
As the Ancient Greeks knew, frankness is an essential virtue
Who can speak truth to the leaders? The story of parrhesía, from classical Greece to Christian martyrs and beyond
by Hartmut Leppin
‘Moral molecules’ – a new theory of what goodness is made of
Seven basic moral elements could be the building blocks of morality, recombining as needed to form new moral molecules
by Oliver Scott Curry, Mark Alfano, Mark Brandt & Christine Pelican